How accurate is it to say that the Weimar constitution failed to make a significant change from the previous political system of the Kaiserreich? Flashcards
Give two examples of areas of real change between the Bismarckian system and Weimar?
Structure of elections and Bill of Rights
Give three areas where change was not forthcoming?
Reichstag, Reichsrat and Judiciary
What 5 things did the Bill of Rights give?
1) Unemployment benefit
2) Freedom strike/union/assembly
3) Sick pay
4) Religion
5) Speech
What fact means that the Bill of Rights can be regarded as making significant changes from the system of the Kaiserrich?
By 1927 17 million workers were recipients of unemployment benefits
Did any such thing as the Bill of Rights exist under Bismarck?
No
What fact illustrates that no such system existed under Bismarck?
1500 socialists were imprisoned in the crackdown on socialists 1878 - 1890
In the weimar constitution, what was the purpose of the differing in the length of time between presidential and Reichstag elections?
To ensure political stability
How often would a president be elected under Weimar?
Every 7 years
Who appointed the chancellor under Weimar?
President
How often was the Reichstag elected?
Every four years
Through what system was the Reichstag elected?
PR
Whilst the President did change in the method in which he was elected, what colloquial term shows that he really did not change that much from the system of Kaisserich?
Ersatz Kaiser (Substitute Kaiser)
How could the level of change regarding the president be described?
Only cosmetic, the main change was the the head of state became elected.
What element of the Kaiserrich was deliberately not changed?
The judiciary
What 4 powers allowed the President to behave more like a Kaiser?
Article 48,
command of the Army,
dissolution of Reichstag,
appointing/dismissing chancellor
What would the chancellor be the leader of?
The largest party
What shows the extent to which the Judiciary was not reformed?
It was still so conservative that Hitler only served 9 months of his treason sentence in 1923-24
How did the Reichstag, Reichsrat and Budesrat change between the Kaiserrich and the Weimar republic?
The Weimar system changed the Bundesrat to Reichsrat. The (appointed upper chamber) Reichsrat’s new role was to ratify the laws passed by the Reichstag. The Reichstag could ignore the Reichsrat, and the problem was reversed from the Bismarck system.
What could summarise the changes in the constitution?
The themes remained the same, but a more demorcratic angle was put on them.
What should be referred to throughout this essay?
Significance of the changes
When did a President use article 48 to force through a change?
1st January 1919
Who could vote in Reichstag elections?
Both men and women over twenty
How many people elect a deputy in the Reichstag?
60 000 people
Due to the voting system in the Reichstag, if more people voted what would happen to the deputies?
More deputies there
How many representatives in the Reichsrat?
67 from 17 states
Who can the Reichstag ignore?
Reichsrat
Give an example of when article 48 could be used?
To enforce law to a state that ignored a rule passed by the Riechstag / Reichsrat
What makes the Reichstag unstable?
Coalition had to be formed which would often break down
What article of the Weimar constitution ensured that the judiciary remained unchanged from the previous system of the Kaisserich?
Article 54
What fact about Hitler shows how conservative the judiciary were?
Hitler, of his already highly lenient 5 year sentence, served only 4 months in 1924.
What contrast can be made to Hitler’s sentence to indicate how conservative the judiciary were?
In October 1922 Felix Fechenbach who was secretary to Eisner, a leader of a left wing revolutionary party, was given 11 years for violating press law
Under the Kaiserrich the second chamber was called the Bundesrat, what was it called under Weimar?
Reichsrat
What became the most important legislative chamber under Weimar?
Reichstag
What is the different ratification relationships between the two periods?
In Weimar Reichsrat ratifies Reichstag rule, whereas in Bismarckian system Reichstag had been ratified by Bundesrat.
In the latter stages, what did many label the Kaiser?
A silent dictator
What does the label of ‘silent dictator’ suggest about the extent of change from article 48?
That there was not great change due to it
What was the president colloquially known as?
The ersatz kaiser
What three powers did the president have that were similar to the old Kaiser?
1) Command of the armed forces
2) Control over foreign policy
3) Appointed and dismissed chancellor
What about the Reichstag meant that the Chancellor had to rely on them for support?
In the Kaisserich, they were not dependent on the support of the Reichstag so could ignore them. In Weimar, however, they were the head of the largest party in the Reichstag
How could the Reichstag hold the chancellor to account?
Vote of no confidence
What is an area of continuity between the two chancellors?
Both could propose laws themselves
Who called Weimar a genuine attempt at a perfect democracy?
Norman Lowe
How frequent were the Reichstag elections under Weimar?
Every four years
How frequent were the presidential elections under Weimar?
Every 7 years
To what extent was there universal suffrage in the Weimar constitution?
In the Weimar constitution universal male and female suffrage was granted to everyone over the age of 20.
Under the previous system of the Kaissereich how was the Reichstag elected?
Using the three tier system
Explain what the three tier system was
Each section of tax payers elected 1/3of the parliament, despite 85% of the population being in the lowest tax bracket and 5% being the highest tax payers.
When were the first ever Reichstag elections under the Kaissereich?
March 1871
Who were the most powerful anti-Weimar political party?
DNVP
